Expert Setup Guide
The Expert Setup Guide is intended for the more specific things you can do to improve your setup bit-by-bit rather than explaining how things work or what types of setups you can use; these improvements include topics on saving space, item multiplier efficiency and saving layout item slots. These small improvements can build up and improve your setup significantly, such as freeing item slots in your layout save or reducing space usage so that you can fit more upgraders. Basically optimizing your current setup. Other guides: Beginner Setup Guide Advanced Setup Guide Saving Space Platforms Platforms can be used to add more items in your setup by simply adding more space, but this needs critical thinking since items cannot be placed in between platforms and the legs of platforms are collidable, so ores are blocked from passing through. Small platforms usually will not be of use due to their inferior size and elevation, so Standard, Hydraulic and Mega platforms will be discussed since they are the most useful. Standard Platforms Standard platforms have a size of 12x12 units and have an elevation of 8 units. To make the most of these platforms, you need to use enough items to fill a 12 unit long space completely, such as 3 Lunar Refiners (4+4+4 units), or 1 Saturated Catalyst and an Ancient Coliseum (7+5 units). Both of these combinations use up 12 units in length which is enough to reach from 1 side of a Standard Platform to the other. Hydraulic Standard Platforms Hydraulic Platforms have the same size as a Standard Platform at 12x12 units, but also have the ability to be raised or lowered up to 16 elevations, thus making it incredibly useful. These can also be used in place of double-stacked Standard or Mega platforms to save layout item slots. These platforms can serve a multitude of purposes which include but are not limited to: * Linking up a platform with a Stratospheric Refiner without needing Hydraulic Ramps. * Moving an ore off of a ledge and into a Cannon-required upgrader with better consistency than other platforms (less impact; less likely to fall off). * Allowing larger items to fit underneath, such as the Pizza Bombarder. These would not fit under any other platform. Mega Platforms The largest of the platforms at a massive size of 20x20 units and 8 elevations high. These platforms should only be used if you absolutely have to use it for a large item that does not fit on a Hydraulic or Standard platform. Otherwise, make the most out of this platform by using enough items to fit 20 units worth of space so that ores travel from one side to the other. Ore Illuminator/Indoctrinator Both of these items have a built-in timer in which the ores upgrade counter cannot change, otherwise the ore is destroyed. For the Ore Illuminator, instead of using Conveyor Ramps, you can instead use a range of 0 upgrade counter upgraders. These can be used straight after the Illuminator and the ore will not be destroyed since their upgrade counter does not change. For the Ore Indoctrinator, however, there are too few 0 upgrade counter items to last 66 seconds, so you're better off either not using it if you plan on making an automatic setup or using an Ore Gate. Upgrader Efficiency This segment is about using specific orders of upgraders in order to maximize their potential multipliers. Some upgraders offer a range of multipliers in return for specific requirements, such as the ore being frozen or perhaps the ore has to be on fire. Scorching Heat Scorching Heat has a range of x2 to x6. In order to maximize its potential, the ore must be frozen. In technical terms, the ore has to be slippery, not fireproof, as they are treated as 2 different properties. This can be achieved by a Permafrost Refiner, Freon Bombarder or Wholesome Skull Blaster (if you can wait 15 to 20 seconds). However, this does require a Blazing Annihilator to negate the slippery effect. If you prefer to avoid dealing with the slippery effect, then using a Molten Forge for the Scorching Heats x5 multiplier is a nice compromise. Wholesome Skull Blaster/Behemoth Snowflake/Winter Snowflake/Permafrost Refiner All four of these items have an effect in which it makes ores slippery (but not fireproof). The Behemoth Snowflake and Permafrost Refiner both make the ore slippery as soon as they touch the upgrade beam/panel, but the Winter Snowflake and Wholesome Skull Blaster have their own spin-offs to this effect. The Wholesome Skull Blaster requires 15 to 20 seconds to apply the effect while the Winter Snowflake can thaw ores on its own after 10 seconds. Wholesome Skull Blaster (x12) → Winter Snowflake (x5) → Permafrost Refiner (x3)/Behemoth Snowflake (x4) By using these items in this particular order, ores can receive the heaviest multiplier possible while also being thawed out without the need for a Blazing Annihilator. However, this requires incredibly precise timing. The ores need to idle long enough to be thawed out, but short enough so that it does not occur after the ores have been turned slippery. For this, the ores need to enter the Winter Snowflake 10 to 15 seconds after the Wholesome Skull Blaster for the best results. As for the Permafrost Refiner and Behemoth Snowflake, these need to be used within the 10 second window after the Winter Snowflake, as using them before it will negate the thaw effect. The Scorching Heat can also be used right after the Permafrost Refiner/Behemoth Snowflake if you plan on using this order of items. Stratospheric Refiner The Stratospheric Refiner has a varied multiplier that ranges between 1x to 4x at 11 elevations. This depends on the upgrader panel's height from the highest surface below it. This includes not only the baseplate or the platform, but also items like upgraders and furnaces. This means that in order to achieve the maximum multiplier, you have to place it with its maximum elevation and make sure there are no items below the upgrader part. You can take advantage of the semi-transparent rainbow that arches above the upgrader. The more transparent it is, the lower its multiplier and vice versa. This only updates when you place it. Empyrean Monument The Empyrean Monument is an item with similar workings to the Stratospheric Refiner. However, its height variable is dependant only on the baseplate of the user, whereas the Stratospheric Refiner includes platforms and items. The Empyrean Monument has a minimum multiplier of x56 and a max of x200, achieved at 10 elevations. For reference, a platform is 8 elevations high, so you need to raise its elevation by 2 if you are placing it on a platform. Additionally, a Hydraulic Platform can be used as a safer alternative to an Ore Cannon in order for ores to touch the upgrade beam. Trajectory is not as inconsistent and ores do not have to be centered in order to pass through. Free-fall Upgraders/Ion Field Freeing Layout Item Slots Fast Conveyors If your conveyor is fast enough, you can put a 1-unit-wide gap between conveyors to save item slots. The longer the line of conveyors is, the more item slots you save. Just to make sure it works, put 2 or 3 conveyors at the start without any gaps to guarantee ore have enough initial velocity to pass over each and every space. Astral Predicters can also be used as a conveyor substitute, having the highest conveyor speed in the game and can be acquired in large numbers. However, their 4 unit width size prevent most portables from covering the entire conveyor. 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